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Alto Secrets (The Choir Girls Series) (Volume 2)

By Victoria Kimble

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Maddie Ryland needed a plan. She gathered her straight, dark blonde hair into a messy bun on top of her head as she thought about the piece of paper in her backpack. She had to think of something.
“Um, Maddie? You okay?” Summer McKidd leaned over and peered at Maddie’s face, her curly brown hair falling in front of concern-filled blue eyes. The bus jumped over a speed bump, jolting both girls to the side. Maddie laughed as she braced herself against the seat.
“Of course!” she replied. “What were you saying?”
“You sure? You looked really freaked there for a minute.”
“I did? Weird!” Maddie laughed again, hoping Summer would drop it. She wasn’t ready to say anything to her about it. Not that Summer would judge her or anything. Summer was the nicest person in the world, and Maddie was so glad they had become friends. Maddie had been unsure about moving from Minnesota to Colorado, but meeting Summer had made her feel right at home.
“Well, I was saying that Pilar and I are going to join the yearbook staff. I guess they don’t have a lot of people this year, so it’s okay that we’re joining in November,” Summer said, tucking her hair behind her ears.
“Oh, cool! I’m glad Pilar is doing something more than just choir. When do they meet again?”
“Tuesdays and Thursdays after school. I won’t be riding the bus home those days anymore. Lisa is going to pick me up on her way home from school.”
“Let me guess . . . she’s not too happy about that,” Maddie said, wrinkling her nose. Summer’s older sister often made it known that having a 7th grader for a sister was very inconvenient for a junior in high school.
“Yeah. I was hoping she’d ask me to go to the mall soon, but now I’m not sure she’ll even want to.”
Summer looked so sad. Maddie was so glad she only had brothers. Dylan and Connor were also in high school, but they never seemed as moody as Summer’s older sister. In fact, they had spoiled her since she was a baby. They were happy to take her places as long as it didn’t interfere with their basketball and soccer practices.
“I’ll go to the mall with you,” Maddie said. “Me and Pilar. We can see if they’ll let us hold the kittens again.”
“Yeah, that’d be fun!” Summer said, brightening up.
The bus stopped at Maddie and Summer’s street and they both jumped up. Maddie turned to walk down the aisle when someone slammed into her from behind. Maddie stumbled forward and bumped into the boy in front of her.
“Oh, excuuuse me! I didn’t even see you there!”
Maddie steadied herself and glanced over her shoulder. “Hey Cammie. What’s up?” Maddie smoothed down her green coat and smiled at her former friend. Cammie Dunn tossed her head and glared at Maddie through eyes that were coated thick with eyeliner and mascara.
“Whatever Maddie,” Cammie said, pushing past Maddie and stalking off the bus.
“She’s still so mad,” Summer said, the smile leaving her face as she watched Cammie stomp away. Cammie had been Maddie and Summer’s friend from the beginning of the school year until two weeks ago, when they had confronted Cammie about her bullying. Cammie had been ice cold ever since. She acted like Summer and Maddie were the ones who didn’t want to be friends anymore. Maddie was fine with that since Cammie could be mean, but it was harder for Summer. She and Cammie had been friends since third grade.
“Give her time,” Maddie said, stepping off the bus onto the sidewalk. “She’ll probably get over it soon.”
“I don’t know. In fourth grade, there was a kid who pulled out her chair from under her in class. She totally fell down and knocked over a bucket of pencils. She never forgave him for that.”
“Well, that was rude. But we weren’t rude to her.” They turned down their street and Maddie turned her face toward the sky, enjoying the warm Colorado sunshine in the cool fall air. Summer shoved her hands into her coat pockets.
“But she thinks we were by not signing that petition. I’m just saying, I know she can carry a grudge for a long time.” The girls stopped in front of Maddie’s house. Maddie put her arm around Summer’s shoulders and gave her a squeeze.
“I’m sorry, Summer,” she said. Summer gave her a sad smile.
“Thanks. Anyway, see you tomorrow.” Summer turned and walked toward her house.
Maddie took the steps to her house two at a time and used her key to unlock the door. As usual, she was the first one home. Her 17-year-old brother Dylan had basketball practice and wouldn’t be home until dinner time. Her 16-year-old brother Connor might be home soon, but he was enjoying the new-found freedom that he had with a driver’s license. Her mom was an office manager for a veterinarian clinic and would be home in about a half an hour. Her dad was the facilities manager for the Denver Broncos training facility. He would be home in time for dinner, too, as long as nothing came up at his job.
Maddie dumped her coat on the couch by the front door and pulled out her phone to send her mom the required “made it home” text. She went into the kitchen to grab a granola bar, then headed to her room.
Even though no one was home, Maddie shut the door. She flopped on to her unmade bed, eagerly unzipped her bag, and pulled out the paper that she had been thinking about all afternoon.
ASPEN JUNIOR HIGH ART CLUB. Meets Tuesdays and Thursdays after school until 4:30.
Mrs. Bruton, the art teacher, had handed this flyer to Maddie as she was leaving art class. “You should join, Maddie!” she had said, her eyes sparkling. “You have a real talent with paints. You’ll get some more instruction on techniques, and in December you’ll get a chance to showcase your work at a special art show they hold at the library.”
Maddie knew she was smiling as she read the paper for the hundredth time, but she couldn’t help it. This art club sounded so great. It would be perfect, too, since the volleyball season had just ended. Ever since she was a little girl, she had a dream of seeing her paintings hanging up somewhere for everyone to see, like in a gallery or a coffee shop. Her favorite fine arts rotation had always been art. She hadn’t even known that art clubs existed, and now she had a chance to join one.
There was only one problem: her parents had no idea that she wanted to paint. Her whole family loved sports. She needed their permission to join the club. How would she even ask?

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